Get in the swing of Oktoberfest!

It’s getting to that time of the year where our inner German runs free and we celebrate the Bavarian festival of Oktoberfest! That’s why we’ve put together everything you need to know to have the best culinary experience possible during the two and half week celebration.

Firstly, what is Oktoberfest?
In case you didn’t know, Oktoberfest is a yearly festival that’s been celebrated since 1810. It has traditionally been celebrated in Munich and the rest of Germany, but has spread all over the world and is a firm favourite here in London; with events dedicated to the German celebration. The festival is celebrated by attending amusements and shows with family as well as drinking and dining together.

“So, what’s to eat?” I hear you ask. Well some of the delicious staple foods of the Oktoberfest celebrations include:

Hendl

This is a roast chicken, created using simple ingredients such as: salt, pepper, butter and parsley. The chicken is roasted over a rotisserie grill or simply cooked in an oven and is usually served with a potato salad or Brezen (pretzel).
To prepare a German-style Hendl, all you need to do is:

Clean a fresh or frozen whole chicken inside and out

Stuff with parsley and lemon

Butter the chicken, then add salt and pepper

Melt some butter

Cook on 200 °Cfor approximately one hour (depends on size)

While cooking, douse the chicken with melted butter every now and then

Cook until golden brown and voila!

Schweinebraten

A Schweinebraten is a famous Bavarian pork dish that is roasted for over two hours; creating a juicy and tender meat that is typically served with a gravy, sauerkraut and potato dumplings.

It is a really simple dish to make and will definitely be worth the lengthy time scale!

To create a delicious Schweinebraten, all you need to do is:

Preheat the oven to 175 °C

Season the pork with salt, pepper, paprika and caraway seeds

Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet and fry the pork until it is browned on all sides. Once done, take the pork out and add it to a roasting pan.

Add onion, carrot, celeriac and spring onion to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are tender. Once completed, spread the vegetables around the roasting pan.

Pour 1 cup of hot water into the skillet and scrape the burnt bits off the bottom. Pour this over the pork and cook for 3 hours, basting at set intervals.

Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve and use as gravy. Serve with sauerkraut and potato dumplings and enjoy!

Weisswurst

The Weisswurst (white sausage) is distinctive due to its… well, white appearance. This German staple is known as a ‘morning only sausage’ due to the lack of preservatives, and many Bavarians ensure they are eaten before noon! The sausage is made with veal and bacon, flavoured with onions and fresh parsley, cooked in hot (not boiling) water then served with a Bavarian sweet mustard.

To create the perfect Weisswurst (to be eaten before noon) follow these instructions:

Combine pork, veal, spices and ice in a food blender until smooth.

Add blended pork fat to the meat. Add in parsley and mix up again.

Stuff sausage casings with the prepared meat and tie off the links.

In a large pot, heat up some water to just under boiling point. Place sausages into the water and leave for 30 minutes.

The Bavarian Brezen, or better known to you and me as the pretzel, is one of the main Oktoberfest foods as it can be served with nearly anything. This doughy bread-like pretzel is served with butter, compared to US pretzels which are often served with cheese sauce or mustard. The Brezel was first created by monks in France as a reward for learning bible verses and prayers, which isn’t ideal for people with a short memory! But don’t fret, here’s a recipe:

Dissolve some sugar in water. Add yeast. Mix and stand for 5 minutes until bubbles appear.

Mix together some milk and oil then add to the water. Mix salt and wholewheat flour together then mix into the water.

Add all-purpose flour and knead until doughy, then leave to prove for 60 minutes.

In the meantime, mix water and 4 tbsp of baking soda. Bring to the boil and keep hot.

Once proved, roll the dough into a straight ‘rope-like’ shape and then form into a pretzel shape. Twist the ends and fold the excess into the circle.

Put the pretzel onto a baking sheet. Prove for 10 minutes, then place into the boiling baking soda water prepared earlier.

When they rise to the top, take them out.

Place onto a baking tray, slit with a sharp knife and add coarse salt.

Now that you’re all clued up on traditional German cuisine, why not give it a go? Or have it delivered to your office by the Kudos Delivered team. Our fully qualified chefs hand prepare all dishes and can meet bespoke requirements.